Announcements

Substantial progress has been made in implementing the programs recommended in the 2013 decadal survey on solar and space physics (heliophysics) despite a challenging budgetary landscape, says a new midterm assessment.

Ten winners and five honorable mentions received support to present their dissertation talks at the 235th AAS meeting in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, in January. Congratulations to all!

Please join NASA’s Astrophysics Division for a virtual community town hall on 27 February to discuss the implementation of dual-anonymous peer review for Astrophysics General Observer / General Investigator programs.

The Submillimeter Array is now accepting proposals for Standard Observing Projects for the 2020A semester, which runs from 16 May to 15 November 2020. Notice of Intent is due 5 March.

AAS member Eugene Parker, a professor emeritus at the University of Chicago, is being honored “for pioneering and fundamental studies of the solar wind and magnetic fields from stellar to galactic scales.”

AAS Nova provides highlights of recent articles from AJ, ApJ, ApJ Letters, ApJ Supplements, PSJ, and RNAAS to inform you about discoveries you might otherwise overlook.

The AAS High Energy Astrophysics Division is awarding its 2020 Bruno Rossi Prize to Sheperd S. Doeleman of the Event Horizon Team, which produced the first image of the immediate environment around a black hole.

The Panel on State of the Profession and Societal Impacts will gather information on the health and demographics of the astronomy and astrophysics community and make actionable suggestions to the Astro2020 committee...

Belated congratulations to five AAS members who were selected a few months ago to receive prestigious awards from the APS for their outstanding achievements in scientific research and public outreach.

The Astronomical Society of the Pacific recognizes individual achievements in astronomy research, technology, education, and public outreach each year. Nominations for the 2020 awards are due on 1 March 2020.

The National Academy of Sciences announced the recipients of its 2020 awards in recognition of extraordinary scientific achievements, and among the recipients are AAS members Linda Elkins-Tanton and Lisa Kewley.

In this column from the AAS Historical Astronomy Division, we focus on Reverend John Michell and his dark star — a hypothetical star whose escape velocity was equal to the speed of light.

With launch still on track for early 2021, the JWST Cycle 1 call for proposals has been reopened, with up to 6,000 hours available for general observers. Proposals are due by 8:00 pm Eastern time on 1 May 2020.

The Astrophysics Division invites nominations for service on the Astrophysics Advisory Committee that advises the Astrophysics Division Director. Nomination deadline: 31 March.

AAS CVD 2020 is happening 23-25 March. We will select volunteers to come to Washington, DC, to raise visibility and support for science. Sign-up deadline: 25 January.